Stekelenburg



24, 1956 s. STEKELENBURG END GATE FOR WAGON BOXES Filed Oct. 14, 1952 Il l INVENTOR. Stakelenburg Sherman I Aitorneys.

United States Patent END GATE FOR WAGON BOXES Sherman Stekelenburg, ParkRapids, Minn. Application October 14, 1952, Serial No. 314,611

2 Claims. (Cl. 296-51) This invention relates to an end gate for wagonboxes. More particularly, the invention refers to an end gate adaptedfor association with a wagon box of the type including a main box and anextension box adapted to be superimposed upon the main box to increasethe depth thereof. The end gate constituting the present invention,summarized briefly, includes a main plate adapted to extend across andclose one end of the main box, the main plate being coextensive inheight with the depth of the main box and having a separable hingeconnection, at opposite ends of its upper edge, to the opposite sides ofthe main box. Adapted to be superimposed upon the main plate, insubstantially coplanar relation thereto, is an extension plate, adaptedto extend across and close the corresponding end of an extension box,the extension plate having a separable connection to the main plate forthe purpose of joining the plates to form a single unit. The extensionplate, at opposite ends of its upper edge, has a separable hingeconnection to opposite sides of the extension box. Thus, when the mainand extension plates are fixedly connected, they swing as one upon thehinge connections of the extension plate. When, however, the extensionplate is removed, together with its associated extension box, the mainplate can swing upon its separable hinge connection to the main box.Stake means are associated with the main plate, and are removablyengageable in stake-receiving pockets of the main box, so as to holdeither the main plate or the main and extension plates against swingingmovement on the selected hinge connections.

Important objects of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide an end gate construction which is adapted to be usedeither as a swingable closure for a conventional wagon box, or as aswingable closure for a conventional wagon box having an extension boxsuperimposed thereon;

Second, to provide an end gate construction wherein the main andextension plates can be swiftly assembled with one another, anddisassembled from one another with equalspeed and facility;

Third, to provide an end gate construction which will be rugged,durable, and yet comparatively inexpensive so far as the manufacturingcosts thereof is concerned;

Fourth, to provide an end gate wherein the main plate can haveassociated therewith a slidable closure, whichclosure will function withequal effectiveness whether or not the extension plate is being used;and

Fifth, to provide an end gate which will be substantially trouble freein operation, and will require a minimum of maintenance.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claimsappended thereto and from the annexed drawing, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the several views, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of a wagon box and of an end gateformed in accordance with the present invention;

'ice

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view, taken from the right ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view showing theconstruction at one of the upper corners of the extension plate;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view taken substantiallyon line 5--5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the corner of theextension plate shown in Figure 3, illustrating the hinge strap thereof;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the corners ofthe main wagon box; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the uppercorners of the main plate, and illustrating the separable hingeconnection of the main plate to the main box.

A generally conventional wagon box 10 has a fiat floor 12, vertical sidewalls 14 projecting upwardly from the opposite longitudinal edges ofsaid floor.

The end gate constituting the present invention includes a main end gateportion 16 and an extension end gate portion 18. The bottom edge of themain end gate portion 16 is adapted to rest upon a sill 20 (Figure 8)projecting rearwardly a short distance beyond the back edge of the floor12, said main end gate portion 16 including a rectangular, flat mainplate 22 the lower edge of which seats in an angular recess 24 definedby the floor 12 and sill 20 respectively.

Embracing the opposite, vertically extending side edges of the mainplate 22 are angle iron reinforcements 26 bolted or otherwise fixedlysecured to the main plate 22, and substantially coextensive in heightwith the main plate. Each reinforcement 26 has, at its upper end, ahinge strap 28 (Figures 5 and 9) extendable along the outer surfaces ofthe respective side walls 14 of the wagon box 10. In the lower edges ofthe hinge straps 28 are hinge slots 30 opening upon said lower edges,and adapted for engagement therein of removable hinge pins 32 projectinglaterally and outwardly from the top edge portions of the respectiveside walls 14.

Separable hinge connections, whereby the plate 22 is pivotally attachedat opposite ends of its upper edge of the main box of the wagon box 10,are thus provided.

Means for normally preventing swinging movement of the main plate 22about said hinge connections includes a pair of vertical stakes 34(Figure 1) mounted upon the outer surface of the main plate 22, for upand down sliding movement. Stakes 34 are removably engageable, at theirlower ends, in stake-receiving pockets 36 secured to the sill 20.

To mount the stakes for sliding movement, bolts 38 (Figure 5) areextended through the main plate 22, and project through a longitudinalslot 49 formed in each stake. The bolts 38 also project through aconnecting plate 42 overlying the stake and the slot 40 thereof. Thisconstruction permits each stake 34 to be shifted upwardly or downwardly,within the limits defined by slots 4-0, the up and down movement of thestake being guided by the bolts 38.

Means is provided for lifting the stakes 34 from their associatedpockets 36, said means including links 44 pivoted at their upper endsupon the main plate 22, said links 44 being connected at their lowerends to the upper ends of operating levers 46, said levers 46 beingpivoted, intermediate their ends, upon the respective stakes 34.

Thus, when the levers 46 are swung upwardly in the direction of thearrows shown in Figure 1, they will shift the stakes 34 upwardly, out oftheir associated pockets 3 36. This allows swinging movement of the mainplate 22 upon the hinge pins 32.

The main plate 22 is provided, intermediate its opposite side edges,with a vertically slidable closure 50, the opposite side edges of whichare received in grooved guide rails 52 (Figures 1 and 6), bolted to themain plate. Links 44, it may be noted, are pivotally connected at theirupper ends to said guide rails to provide for the pivotal mounting ofsaid linksupon the main'plate.

To lift the slidable closure St), I provide levers 54 pivotally attachedat their upper ends to the respective guide rails 52, and pivotallyconnected intermediate their ends to the freely swingable upper ends oflinks 56, that are pivotally attached at their lower ends to the closure50. Upward swinging movement of the levers 54, in the direction of thearrows shown in Figure l, transmits upward movement to the slidableclosure 50.

If the wagon box It) is being used without an extension box, only themain plate 22 would be utilized, said plate swinging upon the hinge pins32. However, if an extension box is superimposed upon the main box, theextension end gate portion 18 is also utilized.

The extension end gate portion 18 includes an extension plate 53 adaptedto be positioned above the main plate 22, with the top edge of the mainplate 22 incontact with the bottom edge of the extension plate, and bothplates arranged in coplanar relation (Figure The opposite side edges ofthe extension plate 58 have bolted thereto angle iron reinforcements 60provided, at their upper ends, with forwardly directed hinge straps 62(Figures 3 and 7). The hinge straps 62 are slotted as at 64 to receivehinge pins 66, said hinge pins 66 projecting laterally and outwardlyfrom the opposite sides of the extension box. The extension box has, atits opposite sides, vertically disposed stakes 63 notched as shown inFigure 3 to receive the hinge straps 62, thus to provide clearance forswinging movement of the end gate. It may be noted at this point thatthe main box also has stakes notched at their upper ends, to receive thehinge straps 28 of the main plate.

The opposite sides of the extension box have been designated at 70, thehinge pins 66 projecting through the sides 70 and through the stakes 68.

Formed upon the lower end of each angle iron reinforcement 66 is alaterally and outwardly projected, apertured car 72 aligned verticallywith a corresponding ear 74 formed upon the upper end of the adjacentangle iron reinforcement 26. Connecting bolts 76 are removablyinsertable through the respective ears 72, 74, to fixedly connect theextension and main plates.

When the extension and main plates are fixedly connected, dependingcleats 78, secured to opposite faces of the extension plate 58, extenddownwardly to straddle the top edge of the main plate 22, thus tocooperate with the connecting bolts 76 in rigidifying the attachment ofthe main and extension plates to-one another.

Assuming that the extension box and extension end gate portion 18 are tobe used, the hinge pins 32 would first be removed, after which theconnecting bolts 76 are inserted. The entire end gate now swings uponthe hinge pins 66, but is still held in a normally closed position bythe stakes 34 carried by the main plate 22.

In the case where the wagon box is to be used without an extension boxsuperimposed thereon, the extension end gate portion 18 will be removedfrom the main end gate portion so that there will be an operativepivotally openable closure provided by the hinge pins 32, since toremove the end gate extension 18, it is merely necessary to remove thebolts 76 and lift the extension 18 oif'the main end gate portion .16after the hinge pins 32 have been removed, and the hinge pins will thenbe reinserted so that the main end gate portion will hingedly swingabout the pins 32 as ana'xis permitting the main end gate portion '16 tomove in an arcuate path from an open to a closed position with relationto the wagon box.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that there has been provided in awagon box of the type having a horizontal fioor and mounting an end gateat one end thereof for movement in an arcuate path about an axis spacedfrom the floor from a closed to an open position, a pair of stakes 34 inspaced parallel relation to each other and carried bythe end gate andarranged to move in parallel rectilinear paths intersecting the arcuatepath in which the end gate moves, a pair of stake-receiving pockets 36carried by the wagon box inspaced relation to each other to receiverespective ones of the stakes 34 when the stakes are moved in theirrespective rectilinear paths to intersect the arcuate path of said endgate for securing the end gate in its closed position, guide rails 52are carried by the end gate in spaced parallel relation to each otherand in spaced parallel relation to the stakes 34 to receive the oppositeedges of the slidable closure 50 therein and a pair of levers54 forlifting the closure with each of the levers 54 pivotally attachedintermediate its ends to respective guide rails 52 and pivotallyconnected at its lower end to the respective guide rails 52, and meansto move the stakes 34 in their respective arcuate paths. The meanstomove the stakes including the pair of levers 46, each lever 46 beingpivotally mounted at one end on the stake 34 for movement in an arcuatepath perpendicular to the arcuate path of the end gate andpivotally-connected intermediate its ends to one of the guiderails 52.

In the case where the extension box is employed, this invention providesan end gate for the wagon box having a main plate 22 extending acrossone end of the main wagon box and provided with an extension plate 58superimposed upon and releasably secured to the main plate 22 incoplanar relation thereto, the main and extension plates in theirsecured relation are mounted on the extension'box for movement in anarcuate path about an axis spaced from and transversely of the floor 12of the wagon box 10 vfrom a closed to an open position. The stakes andthe slidable closure will operate in the same manner as when theextension box and extension plate are not employed with the wagon box10.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confinedto the specific use or uses thereof described above, since itmay beutilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the inventionto be necessarily limited to :the specific construction illustrated anddescribed, since such construction is only intended to be illustrativeof the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carryout said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehendsany minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scopeof the appended claims.

'What is claimed is:

1. In a wagon box of the type having a horizontal floor and mounting anend gate at one end thereof for movement in an arcuatepath about an axisspaced'from said floor from a closed to an open position, a pair ofstakes in spaced parallel relation carried by said end gate and arrangedto-move in parallel rectilinear paths intersecting the arcuate path inwhich the end gate moves, a pair of stake-receiving pockets carried bysaid wagon box in spaced relation to each other to receive respectiveones of said pair ofstakes when said stakes are moved in theirrespective rectilinear paths to intersect the arcuate path of said endgate for securing the end gate in its closed position, a pair ofparallel guide rails carried by said end gate "between and in parallelrelation to said stakes, as'lidable closure having its opposite edgesreceived in said guide rails, a pair of levers for lifting said closure,each lever of said pair pivotally attached intermediate'its-ends 'tosaid closure and pivotally connected atilits upper end to an adjacentguide rail, and means to move said stakes in their rectilinear paths.

2. An end gate for a wagon box having a horizontal floor, a main box andan extension box, comprising; a main plate extending across one end ofsaid main box, an extension plate superimposed upon and releasably secured to said main plate in coplanar relation thereto, said main andextension plates mounted on said exten sion box for movement in anarcuate path about a common axis adjacent the upper end of saidextension plate and transversely of said floor from a closed to an openposition, a pair of stakes in spaced parallel relation carried by saidmain plate and arranged to move in parallel rectilinear pathsintersecting the arcuate path in which the main and extension platesmove, a pair of stake-receiving pockets carried by said wagon box inspaced relation to each other to receive respective ones of said pair ofstakes when said stakes are moved in their respective rectilinear pathsto intersect the arcuate path of said plates for securing the plates intheir closed posi- 6 tion, a pair of parallel guide rails carried bysaid main plate between and in parallel relation to said stakes, aslidable closure having its opposite edges received in said guide rails,a pair of levers for lifting said closure, each References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 831,915 Winans Sept. 25, 19061,131,404 Meink Mar. 9, 1915 1,546,666 Lawson July 21, 1925 2,045,489Payette June 23, 1936

